Packet-based wireless local loop and method

ABSTRACT

A packet-based wireless local loop includes a wireless router operable to communicate with a network and a fixed wireless unit operable to communicate with the router over a wireless interface. The fixed wireless unit is operable to transmit a first plurality of packet messages to the router. The first plurality of messages contains analog traffic and data traffic from at least one wired device. The fixed wireless unit is also operable to receive a second plurality of messages from the router. The second plurality of messages contains analog traffic and data traffic, and the fixed wireless unit is further operable to communicate the analog traffic and the data traffic in the second plurality of messages to at least one of the wired devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the following applications:

U.S. application Ser. No. 09/128,553, filed on Aug. 3, 1998, nowabandoned and entitled “A ‘Plug and Play’ Wireless ArchitectureSupporting Packet Data and IP Voice/Multimedia Services,” pending; and

U.S. application Ser. No. 09/219,539, filed on Dec. 23, 1998, nowabandoned and entitled “Wireless Local Loop System Supporting Voice/IP,”pending.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of communications, andmore specifically to a packet-based wireless local loop and method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wireless local loops have been used for several years to providetelephone service to subscribers. In traditional wireless local loopsystems, omni-directional radios are used to link one subscriber or agroup of subscribers to a telephone company's central office.Omni-directional radios at the subscribers' locations communicate withradios coupled to the central office, allowing the telephone company toprovide service to the subscribers without the use of conventionaltwisted-pair copper wires. Wireless local loops are often useful becausethey can be easily reconfigured and do not require expensive copperlines. Wireless local loops are particularly useful in areas where, forexample, environmental conditions make it difficult to lay copper linesbetween the subscriber and the central office.

A single subscriber or group of subscribers may have telephones, faxmachines, and computers all connected to the same subscriber line insidea residence or building. Conventional wireless local loop systems areusually able to transport either analog voice and fax traffic or datatraffic. A problem with conventional wireless local loop systems is thatthey cannot transport analog voice and fax and data trafficconcurrently. The subscriber must choose which application to use.

Another problem with conventional wireless local loop systems is thatthe inability to transport analog voice and fax and data trafficconcurrently adds complexity to the communications system. To properlyhandle the different types of traffic, equipment used in the wirelesslocal loop typically needs to differentiate between analog voice and faxtraffic and the data traffic. For example, if voice or fax traffic isbeing routed through a packet data network, equipment typically isneeded to convert the analog voice or fax traffic into a format used bythe packet network. Once the voice or fax traffic passes through thepacket data network, equipment is needed to reconvert the traffic backinto an analog format. These and other requirements of a conventionalwireless local loop increase the amount and complexity of the equipmentused in the local loop. This also increases the complexity and theexpense of the overall system.

Further, typical wireless local loops use voice coders and decoders(vocoders) to convert analog voice signals into digital signals and toconvert digital signals back into analog voice signals. Typical wirelesslocal loops limit the types of vocoders that can be used in the system.For example, conventional wireless local loops often require that analogvoice and fax traffic have a specific structure, which limits thevocoders that may be used in the system. A subscriber is unable to useother vocoders in the local loop, even though the subscriber's preferredvocoder may have better performance, clarity, or security features.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a packet-based wireless localloop and method are provided that substantially reduce or eliminatedisadvantages and problems associated with previously developed systemsand methods.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a packet-based wirelesslocal loop includes a wireless router operable to communicate with anetwork and a fixed wireless unit operable to communicate with therouter over a wireless interface. The fixed wireless unit is operable totransmit a first plurality of packet messages to the router. The firstplurality of messages contains analog traffic and data traffic from atleast one wired device. The fixed wireless unit is also operable toreceive a second plurality of messages from the router. The secondplurality of messages contains analog traffic and data traffic, and thefixed wireless unit is further operable to communicate the analogtraffic and the data traffic in the second plurality of messages to atleast one of the wired devices.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method forcommunicating over a wireless local loop includes generating a firstplurality of packet messages, the first plurality of messages containinganalog traffic and data traffic from at least one wired device. Themethod also includes communicating the first plurality of messages to anetwork over a wireless interface, and receiving a second plurality ofpacket messages from the network over the wireless interface, the secondplurality of messages containing analog traffic and data traffic. Themethod further includes communicating the analog traffic and the datatraffic in the second plurality of messages to at least one of the wireddevices.

Technical advantages of the present invention include the provisioningof a packet-based wireless local loop and method. In particular, someembodiments of the present invention allow analog voice and fax trafficand data traffic to be carried concurrently in the wireless local loop.The analog traffic and the data traffic may be contained in packets ofdata, and the wireless local loop may route the packets to anappropriate destination such as another telephone, fax machine,computer, or a gateway to an analog network. In one embodiment, thewireless local loop routes the packets to their destinations withoutdifferentiating between the different types of traffic. Treating theanalog traffic and the data traffic as packets of data allows all threetypes of traffic to be handled concurrently in the local loop.

Another technical advantage of some embodiments of the present inventionis that the communications system may be less complex than conventionalsystems. For example, if voice or fax traffic is being routed through apacket data network, the wireless local loop may not need to convert thevoice or fax traffic into another format. This allows less complex andless expensive equipment to be used in the communications system, whichhelps reduce the overall complexity and expense of the system.

In addition, some embodiments of the present invention do not restrictthe type of vocoders that may be used in the system. Each subscriber mayselect which vocoder to use. This may allow, for example, the subscriberto select a vocoder having specific performance, clarity, or securityfeatures that are needed for a particular situation. The subscriber mayeven be able to use a personal vocoder that is unknown to the wirelesslocal loop.

Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one of skill in theart from the attached Figures, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and forfurther features and advantages, reference is now made to the followingdescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary communicationssystem;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary subscriber andwireless router for the communications system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for handlingoutgoing traffic in a fixed wireless unit;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for handlingincoming traffic in a fixed wireless unit; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for handlingtraffic from a subscriber's fixed wireless unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention and its advantages are bestunderstood by referring to FIGS. I through 5 of the drawings, likenumerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the variousdrawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary communicationssystem 10. In the illustrated embodiment, system 10 comprises aplurality of subscribers 12, a wireless router 14, a plurality of publicswitched telephone network (PSTN) gateways 16, a plurality of PSTNs 18,and a packet network 20. Other embodiments of system 10 may be usedwithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

Subscribers 12 may include individual subscribers 12a and groups ofsubscribers 12 b. Subscriber 12 is operable to communicate with wirelessrouter 14 over a wireless interface 22. Throughout this document, theterm “communicate” refers to communication between two or more elementsin system 10, whether those elements communicate directly with oneanother or indirectly through one or more intermediate elements insystem 10.

Subscriber 12 may include one or more telephones operable to transmitand receive voice traffic and one or more fax machines operable totransmit and receive fax traffic. Subscriber 12 may also include one ormore computers operable to transmit and receive voice, fax, and/or datatraffic. In this document, voice and fax traffic may be referred tocollectively as “analog traffic.” The analog traffic may be in the formof an analog signal, a digital version of the analog signal, or adigital version of the analog signal that is broken into packets. Thephrase “data traffic” refers to non-voice and non-fax traffic, such asvideo traffic. The telephone, fax machine, and computer may eachcommunicate using any suitable communications protocol, such as acircuit-switched protocol, a packet-switched protocol, or both.

In one embodiment, the voice, fax, and data traffic are communicatedover wireless interface 22 in packets of data. At least a portion of apacket comprises the voice, fax, or data traffic. A packet may containone type of traffic, or the packet may contain multiple types of trafficsuch as, for example, voice traffic and related data traffic. In thisembodiment, subscriber 12 is operable to receive traffic from at leastone of the telephone, the fax machine, and the computer. Subscriber 12packetizes the traffic and communicates the outgoing packets to wirelessrouter 14. Subscriber 12 is also operable to receive incoming packetsfrom wireless router 14. Subscriber 12 may depacketize the trafficcontained in the packets and route the traffic to at least one of thetelephone, the fax machine, and the computer. Subscriber 12 could alsoroute the packet directly to the computer without depacketizing thetraffic in the packet. In a particular embodiment, subscriber 12 andwireless router 14 exchange packets using an Internet Protocol (IP)scheme such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol/InternetProtocol (TCP/IP). One embodiment of subscriber 12 is shown in FIG. 2,which is described below.

Wireless router 14 is coupled to PSTN gateway 16 a and packet network20. Throughout this document, the term “couple” refers to any direct orindirect connection between two or more elements in system 10, whetherthe elements physically contact one another. Wireless router 14 isoperable to provide bi-directional communication with subscribers 12.Wireless router 14 may, for example, transmit and receive messages toand from subscriber 12 using a circuit-switched or a packet-switchedprotocol. Wireless router 14 is also operable to facilitatecommunication between subscriber 12 and other elements in system 10. Inone embodiment, wireless router 14 receives packets containing voice,fax, and/or data traffic from subscriber 12, and wireless router 14routes the messages to PSTN gateway 16 a or packet network 20. Wirelessrouter 14 also receives data packets from PSTN gateway 16 a and packetnetwork 20 destined for subscriber 12, and wireless router 14communicates the packets to subscriber 12 over wireless interface 22.Wireless router 14 may comprise any suitable device operable to routedata packets in system 10. Wireless router 14 may, for example, comprisea base station, a base station controller coupled to the base station,and a router coupled to the base station or the base station controller.One embodiment of wireless router 14 is shown in FIG. 2, which isdescribed below.

Wireless interface 22 communicatively couples subscriber 12 and wirelessrouter 14. In this document, the term “wireless” designates the use of aradio or over-the-air interface to communicate with subscriber 12.Wireless interface 22 may comprise any suitable circuit-switched orpacket-switched wireless interface. For example, mobile station 12 andwireless router 14 may communicate using a Global System for Mobilecommunication (GSM) interface.

PSTN gateway 16 a couples wireless router 14 and PSTN 18 a. PSTN gateway16 b couples packet network 20 and PSTN 18 b. Each PSTN gateway 16 isoperable to facilitate communication between components of system 10 anda PSTN 18. PSTN gateway 16 may, for example, perform voice/fax codingand decoding operations to convert between the different protocols usedin system 10. PSTN gateway 16 may convert data packets received fromwireless router 14 or packet network 20 into analog traffic sent to PSTN18. PSTN gateway 16 may also convert analog traffic received from PSTN18 into data packets sent to wireless router 14 or packet network 20.Each PSTN gateway 16 may also perform address translation, convertingbetween an address format used by PSTN 18 and an address format used bywireless router 14 and packet network 20. PSTN gateway 16 may be furtheroperable to identify the vocoder that should be used by subscriber 12 toproperly decode incoming packet messages. PSTN gateway 16 may compriseany suitable device operable to facilitate communication with acircuit-switched network.

PSTN 18 is coupled to PSTN gateway 16, a telephone 24, and a fax machine26. PSTN 18 is operable to facilitate communication between PSTN gateway16 and telephone 24 or fax machine 26. Telephone 24 may comprise anysuitable telephone, including an analog or an integrated servicesdigital network (ISDN) telephone. Fax machine 26 may comprise anysuitable device operable to provide facsimile service, including acomputer with a fax modem, an analog device, and an ISDN device.

Packet network 20 is coupled to wireless router 14, PSTN gateway 16 b,Internet phone 28, and computer 30. Packet network 20 is operable tofacilitate the transfer of data packets containing voice, fax, and/ordata traffic between different components in system 10. Packet network20 may, for example, facilitate communication between wireless router 14and PSTN gateway 16 b. Internet phone 28 may transmit and receive voicetraffic over network 20, and computer 30 having voice/fax coding anddecoding functionality is operable to transmit and receive voice, fax,and data traffic over network 20. Packet network 20 may comprise anysuitable packet-based network. For example, packet network 20 maycomprise a local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN),wide area network (WAN), or other communications system or combinationof communications systems at one or more locations.

In one aspect of operation, subscriber 12 communicates with otherelements in system 10 through wireless router 14. In one embodiment,subscriber 12 and wireless router 14 may use an IP scheme such as TCP/IPto transfer packets in system 10. Wireless router 14 may receive packetsfrom subscriber 12 that contain voice, fax, and/or data traffic, andwireless router 14 routes the packets to the appropriate destination insystem 10. For example, if the packets contain voice or fax traffic,wireless router 14 may route the packets to PSTN gateway 16 a fortransmission to telephone 24 a or fax machine 26 a. Wireless router 14may also route packets containing voice or fax traffic to packet network20 for transmission to Internet phone 28, computer 30, or PSTN gateway16 b. If the packets contain data traffic, wireless router 14 may routethe packets to packet network 20 for transmission to a node such ascomputer 30 in network 20 or in another packet network communicatingwith network 20. In addition, wireless router 14 may receive packetscontaining voice, fax, and/or data traffic destined for subscriber 12from PSTN gateway 16 or packet network 20, and wireless router 14communicates the incoming packets to subscriber 12 over wirelessinterface 22. Numerous additional routing scenarios may occur in system10 without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of system 10, numerouschanges may be made to system 10 without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. For example, system 10 may include any number ofwireless routers 14, PSTN gateways 16, PSTNs 18, and packet networks 20.Also, system 10 could include one or more integrated services digitalnetworks (ISDNs), and system 10 could include one or more public landmobile networks (PLMNs) coupled to system 10 by PLMN gateways. Otherchanges may be made in system 10 without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary subscriber 12 andwireless router 14 for communications system 10 of FIG. 1. In theillustrated embodiment, subscriber 12 comprises a fixed wireless unit50, a telephone 52, a fax machine 54, and a computer 56. Wireless router14 comprises a wireless subsystem 66 and a packet data subsystem 68.Other embodiments of subscriber 12 and wireless router 14 may be usedwithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

Fixed wireless unit 50 is coupled to telephone 52, fax machine 54, andcomputer 56. Telephone 52 may comprise any suitable telephone device,including a wireless telephone that communicates with a telephone cradleat subscriber 12. Fax machine 54 may comprise any suitable deviceoperable to provide facsimile service, including a computer with a faxmodem. Computer 56 may comprise any suitable computing device operableto communicate with fixed wireless unit 50 and exchange voice, fax,and/or data traffic. The traffic from computer 56 may be contained inpackets of data, or fixed wireless unit 50 may packetize traffic fromcomputer 56 that is not already contained in packets. To support thetransfer of voice and fax traffic, computer 56 may include voice/faxvocoder functionality.

Fixed wireless unit 50 facilitates communication between conventionalwired devices and wireless router 14 by providing a wireless linkbetween subscriber 12 and wireless router 14. “Wired devices” includedevices that conventionally use wired connections for communication witha network over a local loop. “Wired devices” include telephone 52, faxmachine 54, and/or computer 56 at subscriber 12.

Fixed wireless unit 50 transmits and receives packets of voice, fax, anddata traffic to and from wireless router 14. Fixed wireless unit 50 maycomprise any suitable device operable to facilitate wirelesscommunication between subscriber 12 and wireless router 14. In theillustrated embodiment, fixed wireless unit 12 comprises a telephoneinterface 58, a voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60, a packet data subsystem62, and a wireless subsystem 64.

Telephone interface 58 is coupled to telephone 52, fax machine 54, andvoice/fax vocoder subsystem 60. Telephone interface 58 is operable tofacilitate communication between telephone 52, fax machine 54, andvoice/fax vocoder subsystem 60. Telephone interface 58 may, for example,perform analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions to convertbetween a digital format used by voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 and ananalog format used by telephone 52 and fax machine 54. Telephoneinterface 58 may also perform dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) decodingto support push button dialing in telephone 52 or fax machine 54. Inaddition, telephone interface 58 may perform other functions such as,for example, provisioning loop current and ring voltage. Telephoneinterface 58 may comprise any suitable device operable to facilitatecommunication between telephone 52, fax machine 54, and voice/faxvocoder subsystem 60.

Voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 is coupled to telephone interface 58 andpacket data subsystem 62. Voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 is operable tofacilitate communication between telephone interface 58 and packet datasubsystem 62. Voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 is also operable to performcoding and decoding functions to packetize and depacketize voice and faxtraffic. Voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 may, for example, receivedigitized voice and fax traffic from telephone interface 58 and placethe traffic into one or more packets. Voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 mayalso receive packets containing voice and fax traffic from packetsubsystem 62 and remove the traffic from the packets. Voice/fax vocodersubsystem 60 may comprise any suitable device operable to performvocoding functions. Voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 may support a singlevocoder or multiple vocoders, and voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 mayalso support personal vocoders defined by subscriber 12.

Packet data subsystem 62 is coupled to voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60,computer 56, and wireless subsystem 64. Packet data subsystem 62 isoperable to facilitate communication between telephone 52, fax machine54, computer 56, and wireless subsystem 64. In one embodiment, packetdata subsystem 62 supports the functions and protocols needed totransfer packets containing voice, fax, and/or data traffic betweensubscriber 12 and wireless router 14. Packet data subsystem 62 may, forexample, support the routing of incoming messages received from wirelessrouter 14 to telephone 52, fax machine 54, or computer 56. In oneembodiment, packet data subsystem 62 is also operable to determine adestination address for the outgoing packets, and packet data subsystem62 adds appropriate headers to the packets so that wireless router 14may route the packets to that destination in system 10. Packet datasubsystem 62 may comprise any suitable device operable to facilitate thecommunication of data packets between subscriber 12 and wireless router14.

Wireless subsystem 64 in subscriber 12 is coupled to packet datasubsystem 62. Wireless subsystem 66 in wireless router 14 is coupled topacket data subsystem 68. Wireless subsystems 64, 66 are operable tofacilitate communication between subscriber 12 and wireless router 14 bymanaging communications channels over wireless interface 22. Wirelesssubsystems 64, 66 may, for example, establish a communications channelover wireless interface 22 and then transmit and receive data packetsover wireless interface 22. In one embodiment, wireless subsystems 64,66 release the communications channel once communication over wirelessinterface 22 is complete. In another embodiment, wireless subsystems 64,66 maintain a constant connection over wireless interface 22. Wirelesssubsystems 64, 66 are operable to support any suitable communicationsprotocol. Wireless subsystems 64, 66 may use a circuit-switchedprotocol, a packet-switched protocol, or both to communicate overwireless interface 22. Wireless subsystems 64, 66 may each comprise anysuitable device operable to manage one or more communications channelsover wireless interface 22.

Packet data subsystem 68 is coupled to wireless subsystem 66, packetnetwork 20, and PSTN gateway 16 a. Packet data subsystem 68 is operableto facilitate communication between wireless router 14 and components insystem 10. Packet data subsystem 68 may, for example, support therouting of messages received from subscriber 12 to packet network 20 orPSTN gateway 16 a. In one embodiment, packet data subsystem 68 is alsooperable to determine a destination address of the packets, and packetdata subsystem 68 adds appropriate headers to the packets so that thepackets may be routed to that destination. Packet data subsystem 68 mayalso receive messages from PSTN gateway 16 or packet network 20 destinedfor subscriber 12. Packet data subsystem 68 may comprise any suitabledevice operable to facilitate the communication of data packets betweenwireless router 14, PSTN gateway 16, and packet network 20.

In one aspect of operation, fixed wireless unit 50 and wireless router14 communicate over wireless interface 22 and exchange voice, fax, anddata traffic contained in data packets. Fixed wireless unit 50 isoperable to receive voice traffic from telephone 52, fax traffic fromfax machine 54, and voice, fax, and/or data traffic from computer 56.Fixed wireless unit 50 is also operable to packetize the voice and faxtraffic from telephone 52 and fax machine 54, and fixed wireless unit 50may packetize traffic from computer 56 that is not already contained indata packets. The packets are communicated to wireless router 14 overwireless interface 22. Wireless router 14 routes the packets to anappropriate location in system 10. If the packets are going to PSTN 18,subscriber 12 or wireless router 14 determines an address for a PSTNgateway 16, and wireless router 14 communicates the packets to that PSTNgateway 16. If the packets are going to packet network 20, subscriber 12or wireless router 14 determines an address for a destination node innetwork 20, and wireless router 14 communicates the packets to thatnode.

Wireless router 14 may also receive data packets from PSTN gateway 16 orpacket network 20 destined for subscriber 12. Wireless router 14communicates the packets to fixed wireless unit 50. Fixed wireless unit50 determines whether the packets are destined for telephone 52, faxmachine 54, or computer 56. Voice, fax, and/or data traffic may be sentto computer 56, and voice and fax traffic may be sent to telephoneinterface 58.

By supporting the concurrent transfer of analog traffic and data trafficusing packets of data, fixed wireless unit 50 and wireless router 14provide several advantages over prior wireless local loops. For example,system 10 simplifies the handling of voice, fax, and data traffic byusing packets of data to transport the traffic. In one embodiment, thedifferent types of traffic are handled similarly in system 10 until theanalog traffic enters an analog network such as PSTN 18. When the analogtraffic is entering PSTN 18, system 10 converts the packetized analogtraffic into an analog signal. Also, because traffic is handled aspackets of data, system 10 supports voice telephone calls to and frompacket data networks like the Internet. In addition, since the trafficis handled as packets, conversion of the traffic may be unnecessarybetween the wireless local loop and packet network 20.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of subscriber 12 and wirelessrouter 14, numerous changes may be made without departing from the scopeof the present invention. For example, although subscriber 12 isillustrated as comprising telephone 52, fax machine 54, and computer 56,subscriber 12 need not include all three elements. Subscriber 12 could,for example, comprise only telephone 52 or telephone 52 and computer 56.Also, although fixed wireless unit 50 is illustrated as comprisingseparate modules for telephone interface 58, voice/fax vocoder subsystem60, packet data subsystem 62, and wireless interface 64, one or more ofthese modules may be combined in a single physical unit. For example, asingle physical unit could perform the functions of telephone interface58 and voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60. Other changes may be made tosystem subscriber 12 or wireless router 14 without departing from thescope of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for handlingoutgoing traffic in fixed wireless unit 50. Fixed wireless unit 50receives traffic from telephone 52 and/or fax machine 54 at a step 100.This may include, for example, telephone interface 58 receiving thetraffic from telephone 52 or fax machine 54. Fixed wireless unit 50codes the voice or fax traffic into packets at a step 102. This mayinclude, for example, telephone interface 58 digitizing the analogsignals received from telephone 52 or fax machine 54 and voice/faxvocoder subsystem 60 packetizing the digitized traffic. Fixed wirelessunit 50 may also receive traffic from computer 56 at a step 104. Thismay include, for example, packet data subsystem 62 receiving the trafficfrom computer 56. The traffic from computer 56 may comprise voice, fax,and/or data traffic, and the traffic may or may not already bepacketized. Fixed wireless unit 50 communicates the packets containingthe traffic to wireless router 14 at a step 106. This may include, forexample, packet data subsystem 62 addressing the packets to adestination in system 10 and wireless subsystem 64 communicating thepacket data to wireless router 14.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for handlingincoming traffic in fixed wireless unit 50. Fixed wireless unit 50receives incoming packets of data from wireless router 14 at a step 140.This may include, for example, wireless subsystem 64 receiving thepackets from wireless router 14 over wireless interface 22. Fixedwireless unit 50 determines whether the packet contains traffic destinedfor telephone 52 or fax machine 54 at a step 142. This may include, forexample, packet data subsystem 62 determining whether the packet isaddressed to telephone 52, fax machine 54, or computer 56. If the packetcontains traffic destined for telephone 52 or fax machine 54, fixedwireless unit 50 decodes the voice or fax traffic at a step 144. Thismay include, for example, voice/fax vocoder subsystem 60 depacketizingthe traffic and telephone interface 58 converting the digital data intoan analog signal. Fixed wireless unit 50 communicates the analog voiceor fax traffic to telephone 52 or fax machine 54 at a step 146. This mayinclude, for example, telephone interface 58 routing the traffic totelephone 52 and/or fax machine 54. If the packet received from wirelessrouter 14 contains traffic destined for computer 56 at step 142, fixedwireless unit 50 communicates the traffic to computer 56 at a step 148.This may include, for example, packet data subsystem 62 transferring thepacket or the traffic in the packet to computer 56.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for handlingtraffic from a subscriber's fixed wireless unit 50. System 10 receivesvoice, fax, and/or data traffic from subscriber 12 at a step 200. Thismay include, for example, wireless subsystem 66 in wireless router 14receiving packets from subscriber 12 over wireless interface 22. In oneembodiment, subscriber 12 and wireless router 14 communicate using an IPprotocol. System 10 determines if the packet is going to an analognetwork such as PSTN 18 at a step 202. This may include, for example,determining the destination address of the packet. The destinationaddress may already be included in the packet, or wireless router 14 maydetermine an address for the packet. The address may be for a PSTNgateway 16 providing access to the analog network or for a destinationnode in packet network 20.

If the packet is going to an analog network at step 202, wireless router14 routes the packet to the gateway at a step 204. This may include, forexample, wireless router 14 communicating the packet directly to PSTNgateway 16 a coupled to wireless router 14. This may also includewireless router 14 routing the message through packet network 20 toanother PSTN gateway 16 b. System 10 decodes the voice or fax trafficcontained in the packet at a step 206 This may include, for example,PSTN gateway 16 receiving the packet, extracting the voice or faxtraffic from the packet, and converting the digital data into an analogsignal. System 10 communicates the voice or fax traffic to the analognetwork at a step 208 This may include, for example, PSTN gateway 16communicating the analog voice or fax traffic to PSTN 18.

If the packet is going to a node in a packet network at step 202,wireless router 14 communicates the data packet to the destination nodeat a step 210. This may include, for example, wireless router 14 routingthe message to a node coupled to packet network 20. This may alsoincludes router 14 routing the message to another packet network thatcommunicates with packet network 20.

Although the present invention has been described in severalembodiments, a myriad of changes, variations, alterations,transformations, and modifications may be suggested to one skilled inthe art, and it is intended that the present invention encompass suchchanges, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications asfall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless unit for a packet-based wireless localloop, comprising: a wireless subsystem operable to communicate with anetwork over a wireless interface, the wireless subsystem operable totransmit a first plurality of packet messages to the network and toreceive a second plurality of packet messages from the network; a packetdata subsystem coupled to the wireless subsystem, the packet datasubsystem operable to communicate the first plurality of packet messagesto the wireless subsystem, the first plurality of messages containinganalog traffic and data traffic from at least one wired device; and thepacket data subsystem also operable to receive the second plurality ofmessages from the wireless subsystem, the second plurality of messagescontaining analog traffic and data traffic, the packet data subsystemfurther operable to communicate the analog traffic and the data trafficin the second plurality of messages to at least one of the wireddevices.
 2. The wireless unit of claim 1, further comprising aninterface coupled to the packet data subsystem and operable to transferanalog traffic between the wired device and the packet data subsystem.3. The wireless unit of claim 2, wherein the interface is operable todigitize an analog signal received from the wired device and to convertdigitized analog traffic received from the packet data subsystem into ananalog signal.
 4. The wireless unit of claim 1, further comprising avocoder coupled to the packet data subsystem, the vocoder operable topacketize analog traffic from the wired device to generate at least oneof the first plurality of messages, the vocoder also operable todepacketize analog traffic contained in at least one of the secondplurality of messages.
 5. The wireless unit of claim 1, wherein thepacket data subsystem is operable to receive at least one of the firstplurality of messages from the wired device.
 6. The wireless unit ofclaim 1, wherein the traffic is transported in the first and secondplurality of messages using an Internet Protocol.
 7. A packet-basedwireless local loop, comprising: a wireless router operable tocommunicate with a network; a fixed wireless unit operable tocommunicate with the router over a wireless interface, the fixedwireless unit operable to transmit a first plurality of packet messagesto the router, the first plurality of messages containing analog trafficand data traffic from at least one wired device; and the fixed wirelessunit also operable to receive a second plurality of messages from therouter, the second plurality of messages containing analog traffic anddata traffic, the fixed wireless unit further operable to communicatethe analog traffic and the data traffic in the second plurality ofmessages to at least one of the wired devices.
 8. The wireless localloop of claim 7, wherein the fixed wireless unit comprises: a wirelesssubsystem operable to communicate with the router; and a packet datasubsystem coupled to the wireless subsystem, the packet data subsystemoperable to communicate the first plurality of messages to the wirelesssubsystem and to receive the second plurality of messages from thewireless subsystem.
 9. The wireless local loop of claim 8, wherein thefixed wireless unit further comprises an interface coupled to the packetdata subsystem and operable to transfer analog traffic between the wireddevice and the packet data subsystem.
 10. The wireless local loop ofclaim 9, wherein the interface is operable to digitize an analog signalreceived from the wired device and to convert digitized analog trafficreceived from the packet data subsystem into an analog signal.
 11. Thewireless local loop of claim 8, wherein the fixed wireless unit furthercomprises a vocoder coupled to the packet data subsystem, the vocoderoperable to packetize analog traffic from the wired device to generateat least one of the first plurality of messages, the vocoder alsooperable to depacketize analog traffic contained in at least one of thesecond plurality of messages.
 12. The wireless local loop of claim 8,wherein the packet data subsystem is operable to receive at least one ofthe first plurality of messages from the wired device.
 13. The wirelesslocal loop of claim 7, further comprising a gateway coupled to thewireless router and operable to communicate with the network.
 14. Thewireless local loop of claim 7, wherein the traffic is transported inthe first and second plurality of messages using an Internet Protocol.15. A method for communicating over a wireless local loop, comprising:generating a first plurality of packet messages, the first plurality ofmessages containing analog traffic and data traffic from at least onewired device; communicating the first plurality of messages to a networkover a wireless interface; receiving a second plurality of packetmessages from the network over the wireless interface, the secondplurality of messages containing analog traffic and data traffic; andcommunicating the analog traffic and the data traffic in the secondplurality of messages to at least one of the wired devices.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein generating the first plurality of messagescomprises: receiving an analog signal from the wired device; digitizingthe analog signal; and packetizing the digitized analog signal togenerate at least one of the first plurality of messages.
 17. The methodof claim 15, wherein generating the first plurality of messagescomprises receiving at least one of the messages from the wired device.18. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating the first plurality ofmessages to a network comprises communicating the first plurality ofmessages to a gateway coupled to the network.
 19. The method of claim15, wherein the analog traffic in the second plurality of messagescomprises digitized analog traffic, and wherein communicating the analogtraffic and data traffic in the second plurality of messages to at leastone of the wired devices comprises: depacketizing the digitized analogtraffic in at least one of the second plurality of messages; convertingthe digitized analog traffic into an analog signal; and communicatingthe analog signal to the wired device.
 20. The method of claim 15,wherein the traffic is transported in the first and second plurality ofmessages using an Internet Protocol.